Although the 2013 Ram 1500 pickup isn’t quite a revolution in the greater truck world, the recent additions of an eight-speed automatic transmission, available four-corner air suspension, and various other high-tech tweaks make it one of the most forward-thinking workhorses on the market. Considering how in-demand our previous long-term, Dodge-branded 1500 and 2500 pickups were around C/D HQ, we felt enlisting the latest-gen Ram for a 40,000-mile trial was almost obligatory.

Raiding the Buffet Table

Sifting through the myriad configurations of any modern pickup is a lengthy, headache-inducing task, spurred on by the internal debate of want versus need. In the end, we decided we needed a lot and opted for a mid-level, albeit somewhat pricey, setup: a V-6–powered, True Blue Pearl SLT crew cab with a five-foot, seven-inch bed; four-wheel drive; and all the latest features. A base price of $38,295 included Chrysler’s 3.6-liter Pentastar V-6 (305 hp, 269 lb-ft of torque), the TorqueFlite 8HP45 eight-cog automatic with a rotary shifter on the dash, and a Diesel Gray interior with cloth bench seats front and rear. Also included were wiring for a towing package (rated for 5700 pounds in this state of tune), remote keyless entry, and a big, 26-gallon fuel tank.

To that we heaped on nearly 10 grand in extras, including the aforementioned air suspension ($1595), as well as the $1395 Big Horn equipment group, consisting of 20-inch chrome wheels with Goodyear Wrangler SR-A rubber, Chrysler’s new seven-inch TFT display in the gauge cluster, a five-inch touch-screen interface, a towing receiver hitch, a split-folding rear seat, a 115-volt power outlet, a leather-wrapped steering wheel with audio controls, and more. Other packages were the $560 Luxury group (heated, power-folding, and auto-dimming exterior mirrors; an overhead console; and various convenience lights) and the $150 Protection group (tow hooks up front and skid plates for the transfer case and front suspension).

Although it’s only been with us for a few months, the Ram’s versatility has kept it in constant demand, from light-duty towing and hauling rubber to and from the local tire shop (it has a 1490-pound payload rating) to schlepping bodies around town in surprising comfort. Its journeys thus far have all been local, with a mix of city and highway miles, including one trip to Ohio to fetch a staffer’s motorcycle.

The V-6 and the smooth-shifting eight-speed automatic, along with aero tricks like active shutters in the grille and the suspension’s ability to lower itself nearly an inch at speed, conspire to produce EPA fuel-economy ratings of 16 mpg in the city and 23 on the highway. Yet with only 269 lb-ft of torque to move the Ram’s unladen girth of 5601 pounds, the throttle pedal gets a workout, and our real-world average currently sits at 17 mpg. At least the massive fuel tank allows us to travel more than 540 miles between the $100-plus fill-ups.

Initial logbook comments have largely praised the Ram for its exceptional ride quality and control for a pickup, adequate V-6 power, and utilitarian touches such as the bedliner, tie-downs, and cargo organizer. Some have quipped, however, that the truck really doesn’t need four-wheel drive (we’ll revisit that comment when the snow flies) and that its ride height could be lower for easier loading, even with the suspension’s ability to drop two inches at rest with a toggle of the key fob. The air bladders can also raise the truck two inches for greater clearance off-road, which we’re looking forward to evaluating in the coming months.

A Solid Start

Although our Ram’s power-to-weight ratio is marginal, the eight-speed does a great job of keeping the available power close at hand. When pushed at the track, 60 mph arrived in a respectable 7.9 seconds, and the quarter-mile passed in 16.1 seconds at 87 mph. Lateral grip of 0.76 g and the ability to stop from 70 mph in 195 feet are about what we expect from something with this much mass. The Ram’s service costs to date have been nonexistent because its computer has yet to call for an oil change, and its first scheduled dealer visit isn’t until 20,000 miles.

The Ram 1500 has managed everything we’ve thrown at it with ease and surely will be given all the work it can handle over the next 33,000 miles, but how our Ram’s V-6 and advanced technologies stand up against the simpler, more-powerful V-8 Chrysler pickups we’ve had in the past will be the most telling test of all.